House and Senate Democrats — all the way up to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — are being outraised by GOP rivals as the cash follows the momentum. Fundraising by outside groups also heavily favors Republicans, suggesting that Democrats can't count on a last-minute cash surge to keep a tough midterm cycle from getting even tougher.

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POLITICO 44

Some of the fast-cash candidates are predictable: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann posts shocking fundraising numbers as regularly as the sun rises in the east. So are some of the slackers. That group includes both incumbents who hate begging donors for help and challengers who simply don’t have the connections or the ability to bring in big checks.

In a campaign likely to end with narrow majorities in both the House and Senate, the financial performance of every candidate matters. Now that the last full fundraising quarter of the 2010 cycle is over, some clear signs are emerging. Here’s POLITICO’s guide to what the last major wave of fundraising numbers really means.

House Democratic Incumbents Get Rolled

The long roster of House Democrats who were outraised by their GOP opponents — a list that totals at least 40 — is just the latest indication that cash is following GOP momentum just weeks before voters head to the polls.

Those who took less included vulnerable freshman who have been on the ropes for much of the last two years like Pennsylvania Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, Nevada Rep. Dina Titus, and New Mexico Rep. Harry Teague.

But even Democrats in powerful senior committee posts who are usually able to dip into large infusions of cash were outmatched. National Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall of West Virginia, Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton of Missouri, and Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania, a senior member on the House Financial Services Committee, all raised less.

With a collection of GOP-friendly outside groups — including the Karl Rove-linked American Crossroads — already set to unleash a $50 million ad campaign and the National Republican Congressional Committee expanding its independent expenditure campaign to $50 million, the widening cash flow to Republican challengers is a disturbing development for Democrats who are struggling to stem the incoming GOP tide.

GOP Map-Expanders

A slate of House Republican challengers outraised Democratic opponents who were once thought to be safer — an encouraging sign for GOP campaign officials trying to expand the field of Democratic targets and a troubling omen for Democrats looking to erect a majority-protecting firewall.

Veterans like Mississippi Rep. Gene Taylor, Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, and North Carolina Reps. Mike McIntyre all took in less than Republican opponents whose bids were once considered longshots.

Simple: People are trying to save their country from the Marxist Obama and the rubber stamp dems anyway they can.

They are getting involved, they are sending money...things many have never done. They understand the reckless spending, the government takeovers, the unrelenting business/job killing regulations, the tax and spend policies, and so on, will be the death of America.

We cannot afford another two years of their failed socialist policies.

They need more money so they can run an endless stream of commercials discussing old tax liens, divorce filings and whether or not their opponent had a ouija board when they were 16 years old.

It's just plain sad, it's like watching them re-arrange the deck chairs on the titanic.

People look at the 13,000,000,000,000 debt figure and can't fathom that the democrats say they haven't spent enough. It's common sense that if you're digging a hole and want to get out, the first thing you do is stop digging.

Yet concerned as people are, all we get from the Democrats is insult, invective and innuendo as they swim about in the sewer. And they really wonder why they're losing so horribly?

People look at the 13,000,000,000,000 debt figure and can't fathom that the democrats say they haven't spent enough. It's common sense that if you're digging a hole and want to get out, the first thing you do is stop digging.

The problem is no one has felt the sting of this kind of debt.

And when felt, it will be too late.

The bankrupting of this country by Congress is becoming a national security issue.

In fact many will consider this debt an act of treason if Congress cannot uphold their constitutional duty of maintaining a military.

Simple: People are trying to save their country from the Marxist Obama and the rubber stamp dems anyway they can.

They are getting involved, they are sending money...things many have never done. They understand the reckless spending, the government takeovers, the unrelenting business/job killing regulations, the tax and spend policies, and so on, will be the death of America.

We cannot afford another two years of their failed socialist policies.

See you at the polls...

You're a fool, it's the super rich that are giving money to the Republicans in record numbers, not the average American.

If you don't like socialism, then your kind need to provide alternative than a return to corrupt and incompetent Republicans. The fact you're content with such a proven lousy option and think that America can't do any better proves your total lack of patriotism.

I keep reading about all the money Obama, Biden, and Michelle are raising on fundraisers. Where is all that money going? And just a few days ago, the Dems were crowing because they had taken in millions more than the Repubs. Where is all that money going? Something does not add up here. If they lose control of Congress, are they planning to say "we were outspent" as the reason they lost, instead of the truth that people are angry about how things are going?

I keep reading about all the money Obama, Biden, and Michelle are raising on fundraisers. Where is all that money going? And just a few days ago, the Dems were crowing because they had taken in millions more than the Repubs. Where is all that money going? Something does not add up here. If they lose control of Congress, are they planning to say "we were outspent" as the reason they lost, instead of the truth that people are angry about how things are going?

I keep reading about all the money Obama, Biden, and Michelle are raising on fundraisers. Where is all that money going? And just a few days ago, the Dems were crowing because they had taken in millions more than the Repubs. Where is all that money going? Something does not add up here. If they lose control of Congress, are they planning to say "we were outspent" as the reason they lost, instead of the truth that people are angry about how things are going?

I agree with you here.

Lots of the problem is they followed the Rahm Emanual playbook of trying to appease the lobbyists and Republicans, instead of doing what's best for America and expose those that are in the way of the reform that this nation badly needs.

Republicans need to raise more money for personal attack commercials, for they are bankrupt when it comes to new, good ideas. Their only ideas are the old, failed policies of Reagan and Bush/Cheney: deregulation plus lax oversight (creating corporate lawlessness) plus channeling most tax dollars to the richest individual and corporations plus cross one's fingers that some crumbs will trickle down to the masses of unemployed equals the Republican formula. Republicans also need more money to attack the good ideas and laws Democrats have advanced and passed. It takes a lot of money to turn things obviously good into things that seem "bad." Here's hoping greedy and selfish corporate America does not successfully buy this election.

Politico is paid off with some of that foreign Money. The corporate media has bought all the press so they can push deregulations of unsafe business down American throats. What roles are the Axis of evil promised in vain? Dems 2010! America's only working party! They stands to gain 100 seats or more inspite of all this "Blood Money" Dems all the way!

You're a fool, it's the super rich that are giving money to the Republicans in record numbers, not the average American.

Ever heard of Gearge Soros, the unions who want pension bailouts, but seem to have hundreds of millions to throw at democrat candidates? Even wall street sent more money to Obama/democrats in 2008 than the republicans. So stop drinking the cool aid and think without your talking points...

But hey! You can send your money to whomever you want. Most Americans get it